Improved bed-bottom



'ilnited ,Stante/3 are apra.

GEORGE RICHARDSON, Oh1

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

Lam-s Paare iva 106,726, zaad August 23, 1870,

IMPROVEIP BED-BOTTOM.

vThe Scheule referredv to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

,Bed-Bottoms and liattresses; and I do hereby declare that-the followingis a full, clear, and exact dcscrption thereof, referencebeing had tothe annexed drawing making part of this specification, in which- AFigure1 is a perspective view of my improved bedbottom and mattress as theyappear when combined. i Figure 2 is a bottom view of my improvedmattress, showing the end reduced in thickness, and the means ofsecuring it to the hed-bottom.

Figure 3 is a pla-n view of aI portion of .the wires which constitutethe supportfor the mattress', and showing the cleat for fastening themto the cnds'of the bed-bottom.

Corresponding letters refer to corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

This inventiou'relates to that class of bed-bottoms which is suppliedwith a series of small wires woven or interlocked together, in such amanner as to form a clothjor supporting the mattress; and

It consists iu combining therewith a mattress of peculiar construction,and, also, in combining therewith straps for the purpose of unit-ingthem together, as

will be more fully explained hereinafter.

Bed-bottoms of this type have heretofore been coustmcted of twothicknesses of wire-cloth only, and, in order to strengthen thoseportions which had to sustain the weight of the persons resting upon it,an additional thickness of cloth has sometimes been placed under theupper thickness, and attached to it at t-hc sides and at the center, ornarrow stripshave been piaced under it at these points Vbut the wires ofthese additional thicknesses have never been interwoven with those ofthe upper cloth, so as to constitute in reality only one thickness ofcloth, strengthened, where required, by iuterweaving of additional wiresto rcduce the elasticityy of the cloth at such points.

I propose to construct a bottom consisting of two or more thicknesses ofwire-cloth, the wires of which interlock longitudinally one with theother, as clearly shown in fig. 3.

To preventthe wires or cloth, which supports the mattress, being toomuch depressed inthe center, I at that part place another thickness ofcloth, the wires of which are interlocked with or woven into the mainbody ol' the cloth, by which means it is very much strengthened at thatpoint.Y The same means are employed to strengthen this support atitssides, where the cloth is also supplied with an additional thickness ofwires interlockcd with those of the other thicknesses in the mannerclearly shown in fie. 3 of the drawing.

The cloth thus made is fastened to a frame, A, made of boardsof suitablethickness, its length and width being such as-to adapt it to the bed towhichit is to be applied.

The sides or longest parts of this frame are to be hollowed out in theircentral portion, as shown in fig.

,nailed or screwed to the ends of the frame, it covering the ends of thewire-cloth, thus holding it in position, as well as preventing it frominjuring the mat,- tress. '.lhc ends of the wires or of thewirc-clotharc attached to the upper surface of the fra-me, while itssides 4are attached to the lower surface, thus'giving it a greateramount of elasticity at its center' longitudinally than at its ends.

A copper rod or wire, A2, is run around the frame A, secured to it inany suitable manner, which may be used in connection with staples tofasten the wires to the sides, in themanner shown. But its printipaloffice is to conduct ofifl the electricity in case the bed is struck bylightning. Where its cndsmeet they are united together and run to anydesired point away from the bed.

The mattress B, to be used in connection with the bottom' hcreinbeforedescribed, is constructedwith its ends B' reduced in thickness on theunder side, for such a distance as to permit the main body tolie uponthe wire-cloth between the cleats A1, or the end-rails of the frame A,so that it may rise and fall with the movements of the wires withoutsubjecting such ends to any extra wear ou the cleats "or end rails, andfor the further purpose of keeping the upper surface ol' the mattresslevel, or nearly so, under allordinary cir` cumstances.

The mattress is provided at each end with a series of straps, C, made ofelastic material, by preference, and fastened to it at the under side iuany suitable and substantial manner at one of their ends. The other endis provided with an eye to hook over broadhcaded nails c, driven at thepropel' points into the end rails of the frame A, for the purpose ofsecuring the mattress to the bottom.

The eye in the straps is covered on one or both sides by a metallicplate, c', with a round central aperture, large enough to admit the headof the nail, and narrow slots extending ,vertically from each side ofthe central hole to permit it to move over the shank ofV the nail in'the rise or fall o f the mattress.

What I claim, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-' l. Thecombination of the bed-bottom herein described, and the mattress B B',substautlly as set 1n testimony whereof I have signed my name toforth.this speeicationin presence of two subscribing wit'.-v

2. In combnzttion'with the within-described bed nesses.

bottom, the copper wire or rod A2, arranged as de- GEO. RICHARDSON.

scribed, and for the purpose set forth. A

3. The combination of the bed-bottom, mattress, \Vitnesses: and strapsC, for attaching the latter to the former, HOLLON leHARDsox,

D. l. HOLLOWAY.

substantially as sei: forth.

